A pendant hung at the right height lights the table, not your eyes. Too high and it looks lost. Too low and it blocks the view across the room.
Below are the heights that UK lighting guides most often suggest. All are measured to the bottom of the shade. Treat them as a starting point, then adjust for your furniture, your ceiling and the people in your home.
Quick guide
| Where | Suggested height |
|---|---|
| Over a dining table | 75 to 90 cm above the table top |
| Over a kitchen island | 75 to 90 cm above the worktop |
| Beside the bed | About 60 to 80 cm above the bedside table |
| Hallways, landings and stairs | At least 2.1 m clear above the floor or step below |
Over a dining table
Leave 75 to 90 cm between the table top and the bottom of the shade. That is low enough to feel intimate, and high enough to see the people sitting opposite.
A large or solid shade can block sight lines, so hang it towards the top of the range. For a long table, use two or three pendants spaced evenly along its length, or one linear fitting.
Over a kitchen island
Hang island pendants 75 to 90 cm above the worktop. That puts the light close to where you cook, without blocking the view across the kitchen for most people.
Spacing two or three pendants
Space them evenly. Here is a simple method.
- Measure the length of the island.
- Divide it by the number of pendants.
- Hang one pendant in the centre of each section.
On a 210 cm island with three pendants, each section is 70 cm. The pendants hang 70 cm apart, and the outer two sit 35 cm in from each end. On a 140 cm island, two pendants work out the same way: 70 cm apart and 35 cm in from each end.
As a check, medium shades of 20 to 40 cm across usually hang about 60 to 75 cm apart. Smaller shades can sit closer. If your gaps come out much wider, an extra pendant or larger shades may suit the island better. Make sure no shade overhangs the end of the island.
A bar pendant, with several shades on one fitting, is another option. The spacing is fixed for you, so you only need to centre it. Compare single pendants and bars in our kitchen island lights.
Beside the bed
Bedside pendants free up the bedside table and look neat in pairs. Hang the bottom of the shade about 60 to 80 cm above the bedside table. Then check that you can sit up and get out of bed without touching it.
Small shades suit this spot, such as the Bexley Travertine and Walnut Bedside Pendant with its opal glass globe. Most bedrooms have a single ceiling point in the middle, so a pair of bedside pendants usually needs new wiring by an electrician.
Hallways and landings
Where people walk underneath, leave at least 2.1 m between the floor and the bottom of the light. Under a standard 2.4 m ceiling, that leaves only about 30 cm for the whole fitting, including any cable or chain.
If your ceiling is lower than 2.4 m, choose a flush or semi flush light instead. The 20 cm Thornbury Ribbed Glass Semi Flush Ceiling Light is one low ceiling option.
Stairwells
A tall stairwell suits a long drop pendant or a cascade chandelier, which fills the height and can be seen from both floors. The same clearance applies. Keep at least 2.1 m between the bottom of the light and any stair or landing directly below it.
Check the view from the hall and from the landing before the height is fixed. Think about changing bulbs too, as a very high fitting may need a tall ladder or a professional. The Hartley Smoked Glass 5 Light Cascade Chandelier is one option for stairwells and dining rooms.
How ceiling height changes things
Over a table or island, measure from the surface, not the ceiling. You do not need to raise a pendant just because the ceiling is high, so keep to the same range. A taller ceiling simply needs a longer cable or chain, and it can carry a larger fitting or a group of pendants.
Before you buy, check the maximum drop on the product page. Then ask your electrician to set the final height once the table or island is in place.
Choosing the shade size
Over a table
A popular rule is a shade between half and two thirds of the table's width. For a 90 cm wide table, that means a shade of about 45 to 60 cm across. Leave at least 15 cm between the edge of the shade and the edge of the table on each side.
Over an island
Several smaller shades often work better than one large one. Medium shades of 20 to 40 cm suit most islands. Shades over 40 cm work best in smaller numbers, spaced further apart. Small shades under 20 cm can hang closer together.
For a whole room
For a main ceiling light, add the room's length and width in metres, then multiply by 8. The answer is a rough shade diameter in centimetres. A room of 3.5 m by 4 m gives 7.5, and 7.5 multiplied by 8 is 60, so look for a shade of about 60 cm.
This is the metric version of a rule of thumb that many designers use. Adjust it by eye for the style of shade and the feel you want.
Fitting your pendant
Pendants are hardwired into your lighting circuit, so have a qualified electrician fit them. Ask them to check that the ceiling can take the weight of heavier fittings, such as stone shades and chandeliers. A new circuit is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales, and a registered electrician can certify the work for you.
Sources
- Tala: How high should pendant lights hang over a kitchen island?
- Industville: What height should pendant lights be hung?
- Tom Raffield: Set the mood
- Mullan Lighting: What height to hang pendant lights and chandeliers
- Homes and Gardens: Light sizing, with John Cullen Lighting
- kin: How high should a pendant light hang?
- Planning Portal: Electrics and the Building Regulations